Our canning season officially ended a few weeks ago when I canned my last batch of applesauce. Even though canning season is over, it’s always a good idea to start thinking about next year.
I am no professional canner, and have mostly learned from my mom over the years. We have not attempted pressure canning yet, and that’s our goal for next year.
water bath canning is the easiest thing to start with in my opinion. Our go to recipes are the ball canning recipes so we know they are safe. Melissa K Norris also has a good book called everything work preserving that is a great resource.
The main things needed for water bath canning are:
-A large pot
-A water bath canner with a rack
–jars (whatever size you prefer for what you’re canning)
–lids
we got most of our stuff from other people used, and we luckily had a ton of jars given to us last year. They were nasty, but it saved us a ton of money!! Once you have your jars, they will last years!
I try to get lids when they are on sale, or Walmart seems to have the lowest price.
then decide what you’re planning on canning for the next year. This past year we canned about 225 jars.
we also stock up on old towels to sit hot jars on so that it doesn’t ruin our countertops.
canning is such a time consuming, but rewarding task. I would be so happy to help anyone get started with canning!